Bottle cap

ABSTRACT

A threaded bottle cap constructed of flexible plastic material and having internal sealing surfaces for sealing against the neck of the bottle on which the cap is secured. The sealing of the cap is effected at separate zones with the cap deforming to increase the sealing engagement. The cap also includes a ratchet ring removably connected at its open end for locking onto the bottle to prevent unthreading and unsealing and to prevent unauthorized removal of the cap.

United States Patent Feldman Aug. 26, 1975 BOTTLE CAP 3,088,617 5/1963Krautkramer 215/42 3,281,000 10 1966 156 [75] Inventor: Jerome M.Feldman, Great Neck, 3,370,732 211968 iz 3,595,418 7 1971 Adcock.....[73] Assgnee' Rw Cap Corporamn 3,650,428 3 1972 Miller 215/46 A x Filed:y 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 268,760 7/1966 Australia 215 341[21] Appl. N0.: 356,915

Related US. Application Data Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Pennie & Edmonds 5 7 ABSTRACT A threaded bottle capconstructed of flexible plastic material and having internal sealingsurfaces for seal- [52] US. CI 215/256; 215/344 ing against the neck ofthe bottle on which the cap is [51] Int. Cl B65d 41/34 secured. Thesealing of the cap is effected at separate [58] Field of Search 215/DIG.1, 40, 41, 42, zones with the cap deforming to increase the sealing215/43 R, 46 A, 256, 344 engagement. The cap also includes a ratchetring removably connected at its open end for locking onto [56]References Cited the bottle to prevent unthreading and unsealing and toUNiTED STATES PATENTS prevent unauthorized removal of the cap.

2,950,033 8/1960 Hcnchert 215/43 RUX 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 14 2 lI l 1' 1 3 ii 16 10 10 l I L 25 4 II I I3 l 8 PATENTED AUG 2 61975BOTTLE CAP RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is acontinuation-in-part of applicants copending application entitledTamperProof Closure Cap, Ser. No. 254,393, filed May 18, I972, now US.Pat. No. 3,812,994. .Application Ser. No. 254,393 is, in turn, acontinuationin-part of applicants copending application entitled ClosureCap. Ser. No. 215,562, filed Jan. 5, I972, and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With plastic caps and particularly withtamper-proof caps used for beverage containers, proper-sealing of thecaps has been a problem. Unlike the conventional metal caps, plasticcaps do not employ a sealing liner; but instead rely on the propertiesof the plastic to effect a seal with the container or bottle to whichthey are secured. The sealing of the caps produced in this manner hasnot been altogether acceptable especially during shipping and relatedhandling where the containers are likely to be jostled or the capaccidentally turned in an unthreading direction.

Presently available plastic caps generally provide only one or twosurfaces for effecting a seal with the bottle and typically rely on thethreads of the cap for sealing. Also, these caps depend on the bottleneck configuration for sealing properties. Some cap constructions havebeads and ridges on their internal sur faces and require bottles ofspecific configuration to accomplish their sealing. These caps are notadaptable to a multiplicity of bottle necks nor do they providesufficient sealing capabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a bottle capconstructed of flexible plastic material having independent sealingsurfaces. The surfaces for sealing the cap on the bottle neck are formedin the internal portion of the cap and engage the bottle neck along itsinside surface, top surface and outside surface. During tightening ofthe cap onto the bottle, the cap deforms or flexes to cause the sealingsurfaces to move into flush engagement with the bottle neck at both itstop surface and outside surface. This deformation and flush contactyields a superior seal. Also, the sealing surfaces are not limited toany particular configuration of bottle neck which makes them usable onpractically any type of bottle. A ratchet ring secured at the bottomside wall of the cap cooperates with ratchet teeth on the bottle neck toprevent unthreading and unsealing of the cap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bottle capshowing the sealing surfaces;

FIG. 2 is a section view showing the closure in seated, sealedengagement with the bottle neck;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of a portion of the cap showing thesealing surfaces of the cap in initial contact with the bottle neck;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section similar to FIG. 3 showing the sealingsurfaces of the cap in their final flush contact with the bottle neck;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cap as viewed from its underside;and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cap in position on a bottle andshowing the ratchet ring in the process of being removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, thecap structure basically comprises a body portion 1 with an internalthread 2 and sealing surfaces generally designated by reference numeral3. A tamperproof ratchet ring 4 is removably connected to the bodyportion and includes a plurality of internal ratchet teeth 5. The bodyportion is cylindrical in shape having a top wall 6 and cylindrical sidewall 7. A shoulder 8 connects the body portion to the removable ringportion; and together with the top wall 6 and side wall 7 defines anopening 9 for receiving a bottle neck. Thread 2 is adapted to engageexternal thread 10 on the neck 11 of a bottle 12. The bottle alsoincludes ratchet teeth 13 designed to engage the teeth 5 of the ring 4in such a manner as to prevent the entire cap structure from beingunthreaded from the bottle neck.

The upper portion 14 of the bottle neck 11 provides surfaces againstwhich the sealing surfaces 3 of the cap cooperate to seal the bottlefrom leakage. There are three sealing surfaces on the cap and they areformed as an integral part of the cap. For this purpose, the cap ispreferably molded from plastic material such as polyeurethane. In thepreferred embodiment, the plastic material has a density of 0.940 gm/cc.

One of the sealing surfaces is formed by an annular flange 15 extendingdownwardly from the top 6 into the opening 9. The flanges internalsurface 16 is substantially perpendicular to the top 6, but its externalsurface 17 is at a slight acute angle to the flanges internal surface 16and tapers in a direction away from the top 6. This surface faces theside wall of the cap. The upper portion 14 of the bottle neck 11 isdefined by three sealing surfaces adjacent the opening into the bottle;an internal edge surface 18, an upper flat surface 19 and an externalflat surface 20. The flange 15 of the cap is located a distance from theside wall 7 such that its external surface 17, functioning as a sealingsurface, will engage the internal edge surface 18 of the bottle neck 5and effect a sealing at this point.

Intermediate the flange 17 on the side wall 7, the cap is contoured todefine two flat annular sealing surfaces 22 and 23. The surface 22extends downwardly from the top wall and toward the side wall at anacute angle of about 10 relative to the side wall. The surface 22 isadapted to engage the outside wall surface 20 of the bottle neck. Thesecond sealing surface 23 also extends downwardly from the top wall 6 ofthe cap. This sealing surface is spaced inwardly of the first sealingsurface for engagement with the top surface 19 of the bottle neck. Thesealing surface 23 normally extends away from the side wall of the capand at an acute angle of about 20 relative to the top wall. The sealingsurfaces 22 and 23 intersect each other adjacent the top wall of the capwith the angle of intersection being about Although the sealing surfaces22 and 23 of the cap are spaced from the side and top walls, the cap isof solid construction behind these sealing surfaces. Also, the sealingsurface 22 is disposed radially inward of the thread 2 on the side wallof the cap while the thread itself terminates at a point spaced from thetop wall of the cap and below the sealing surface 22.

As stated above, the cap is made from a flexible plastic such aspolyeurethane. Also, the top wall has a thickness of between about 0.04and 0.05 inch. This construction allows the cap to deform or flex as itis threaded onto the neck of the bottle. This ability to deform or flexpermits the sealing surfaces 22 and 23 of the cap to pivot into flushsealing engagement with the sealing surfaces 19 and 20 of the bottleneck.

As the cap is threaded down onto the neck, the sealing surfaces willfirst move into contact with the coopcrating surfaces on the bottleneck. As shown in FIG. 3, the initial contact of the sealing surfaces 22and 23 with surfaces 20 and. 19 will not be a flush engagement. However,as the tightening of the cap is continued, the surface 23 will,uponengagement with the top surface 19 of the bottle neck, act as a stoptending to limit further tightening of the cap. This initial engagementwill cause the cap to deform or flex and, in turn, cause the surface 23to pivot. The pivoting of the surface 23 will be effected due to thesolid construction of the cap behind this surface. The flexing of thecap and the solid construction behind the sealing surface 22 willsimilarly cause this surface to pivot. The pivoting of the surfaces 22and 23 will continue until flush engagement with the cooperatingsurfaces of the bottle neck is effected.

As clearly shown in H0. 4, the sealing of the surfaces 22 and 23 is atspaced zones. These sealing surfaces thus provide independent sealingaction. In addition, the sealing effect by the surfaces 22 and 23 isindependent of the thread engagement of the cap on the bottle. This isso since the thread 2 of the cap terminates at a point spaced below thesealing surface 22. Also, the sealing surface 22 extends radially inwardbeyond the thread 2 so that only it engages the outside wall of thebottle neck, the thread 2 limiting its engagement to the threads on thebottle neck.

As the cap is tightened onto the bottle neck, further independentsealing will be effected by the sealing surface 17 against the insidesurface 18 of the bottle neck. More specifically, the flange is causedto deform or flex inwardly as the cap is tightened to assure sealing ofthe surface 17 against the inside surface of the bottle neck. As readilyapparent from FIGS. 3 and 4 the sealing effected by the surface 17 isindependent of and along a zone spaced from the sealing zone producedwith the sealing surface 23. The increased surface contact of all threesealing surfaces of the cap due to the flexing of the surfaces and theindependent action of the sealing surfaces assures superior sealingcharacteristics.

In addition to the sealing effectedwhen the cap is screwed onto thebottle, there is an engagement of the tamperproof ring 4 with theratchet teeth 13 of the bottle neck. Removal of this ring serves toafford visual evidence that the bottle may have been opened. This ringalso prevents back twisting of the cap which would unseat the sealingsurfaces.

The ring 4 is severably connected to the cap portion by means of thepivotal shoulder 8. At the junction of the shoulder 8 and cylinder wall7 a thin membrane zone defines a tear line 25. The specific constructionof this war line and the ring structure is set forth in applicantscopending applications mentioned above. The

tear line has sufficient strength to prevent the two portions of the capstructure from severing when normal pressure is applied to threadablyremove the cap. A rip cord extension 26 is connected to the ring 4 witha finger grip 27 having a heart-shaped cutout 28 formed therein. Thegrip 27 is breakably connected by tab 29 to the ring 4 at a point whereit has a thin membrane 30 and is used to tear awaythe shoulder and ringfrom the rest of the cap structure along the tear line 25 as shown inFIG. 6. When this is done, turning the cap in the unthreading directionpermits its removal.

With the above construction, the ring 4 pivots outwardly about the tearline 25 as the cap is screwed onto the bottle and the teeth 5 slid overthe teeth 13. At the same time this is happening, the sealing surfacesof the cap will engage against the bottle neck to close the bottleagainst leakage. With the three zone sealing provided by the cap of thepresent invention working together with the ratchet ring which preventsloosening of the cap, a tight leakproof connection between the cap andthe bottle is afforded. Rough handling of the bottles during packing andshipping will not disturb this sea].

I claim:

1. In a bottle cap for use with a bottle having a threaded neck openinginto the bottle, said cap being constructed of flexible material andhaving a top wall, a cylindrical side wall depending from the top walland a thread on the inner surface of the side wall for cooperating withthe thread on the neck of the bottle, the improvement comprising:

a. a first annular sealing surface extending downwardly from said topwall and toward said side wall at an acute angle relative thereto forengagement with the outside wall surface of the bottle neck adjacent itsopening into the bottle, said cap being of solid construction from thefirst sealing surface radially outward to the side wall; I

b. a second annular sealing surface extending downwardly from said topwall inwardly of said first sealing surface for engagement with the topsurface of the bottle neck, said second sealing surface normallyextending away from the side wall of the cap at an acute angle relativeto the top wall with the cap being of solid construction between secondsealing surface and the top wall;

c. said first and second sealing surfaces being spaced from each otherto seal against the cooperating surfaces of the bottle neck at spacedzones; and

(1. said cap being of sufficient flexibility to flex as the secondsealing surface engages the top surface of the bottle neck to permitpivoting of said first and second sealing surfaces into flush sealingcontact with the top and outside surface of the bottle neck.

2. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

a. said first sealing surface extends toward said side wall at an angleof about l() relative thereto.

3. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

a. said first sealing surface is'disposed radially inward of the threadon the side wall of the cap.

4. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

a. the thread on the side wall of the cap terminates at a point spacedfrom said top wall and below said first sealing surface.

5. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

a. said first and second sealing surfaces are flat surfaces whichinterscct each other adjacent the top wall of the cap.

6. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

the angle of intersection of the first and second sealing surfaces isabout 80.

7. In a bottle cap for use with a bottle having a threaded neck openinginto the bottle, said cap being constructed of flexible material andhaving a top wall. a cylindrical side wall depending from the top walland a thread on the inner surface of the side wall for cooperating withthe thread on the neck of the bottle. the improvement comprising:

a a first flat annular sealing surface extending downwardly from saidtop wall and toward said side wall at an acute angle relative theretofor engagement with the outside wall surface of the bottle neck adjacentits opening into the bottle;

b a second flat annular sealing surface extending downwardly from saidtop wall inwardly of said first sealing surface for engagement with thetop surface of the bottle neck:

1 said second sealing surface normally extending away from the side wallof the cap at an acute angle relative to said top wall,

2 said second sealing surface intersecting the first sealing surfaceadjacent the top wall of the cap, and

3 said second sealing surface providing a stop for engaging against thetop surface of the bottle to limit tightening of the cap on the bottle;

c the cap is of solid construction between the second sealing surfaceand the top wall; and

d said cap top wall is of sufficient flexibility to flex as the secondsealing surface engages the top surface of the bottle neck to permitpivoting of said second sealing surface into flush sealing contact withthe top surfaces of the bottle neck.

8. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 7 wherein:

a said first and second sealing surfaces are spaced from each other toseal against the cooperating surfaces of the bottle neck at spacedzones.

9. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 7 furtherincluding:

a. a third annular sealing surface extending down wardly from the topwall radially inward of said second sealing surface and facing said sidewall for engagement with the inner surface of the bottle neck at itsopening into the bottle.

10. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 9 wherein:

a. said third sealing surface is spaced from said second sealing surfaceto seal against the bottle neck independently of said second sealingsurface.

11. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 7 furtherincluding:

a. an annular ratchet ring removably secured at the bottom of the sidewall of the cap for cooperating with aligned ratchet teeth on the bottleneck to prevent turning of the cap in an unthreading direction prior toremoval of said ring.

12. In a bottle cap for use with a bottle having a threaded neck openinginto the bottle, said cap being constructed of flexible material andhaving a top wall, a cylindrical side wall depending from the top walland a thread on the inner surface of the side wall for cooperating withthe thread on the neck of the bottle, the improvement comprising:

a. a first flat annular sealing surface disposed radially inward of thethread on the side wall of the cap and at a point spaced above saidthread and extending downwardly from said top wall and toward said sidewall at an acute angle relative thereto for engagement with the outsidewall surface of the bottle neck adjacent its opening into the bottle.said cap being of solid construction from the first sealing surfaceradially outward to the side wall;

b. a second flat annular sealing surface extending downwardly from saidtop wall inwardly of said first sealing surface for engagement with thetop surface of the bottle neck said second sealing surface normallyextending away from the side wall of the cap at an acute angle relativeto the top wall and intersecting the first sealing surface adjacent thetop wall of the cap with the cap being of solid construction betweensecond sealing surface and the top wall; and

c. said cap being of sufficient flexibility to flex as the secondsealing surface engages the top surface of the bottle neck to permitpivoting of said first and second sealing surfaces into flush sealingcontact with the top and outside surface of the bottle neck, said secondsealing surface being spaced from the first sealing surface to sealagainst the bottle neck at a zone spaced from the zone at which thefirst sealing zone engages the outside wall surface of the bottle neck;

13. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 12 furtherincluding:

a. a third annular sealing surface extending downwardly from the topwall radially inward of said second sealing surface and facing said sidewall for engagement with the inner surface of the bottle neck at itsopening into the bottle, said third sealing surface being spaced fromsaid second sealing surface to seal against the bottle neckindependently of said second sealing surface; and

b. an annular ratchet ring removably secured at the bottom of the sidewall of the cap for cooperating with aligned ratchet teeth on the bottleneck to prevent turning of the cap in an unthreading direction prior toremoval of said ring.

1. In a bottle cap for use with a bottle having a threaded neck openinginto the bottle, said cap being constructed of flexible material andhaving a top wall, a cylindrical side wall depending from the top walland a thread on the inner surface of the side wall for cooperating withthe thread on the neck of the bottle, the improvement comprising: a. afirst annular sealing surface extending downwardly from said top walland toward said side wall at an acute angle relative thereto forengagement with the outside wall surface of the bottle neck adjacent itsopening into the bottle, said cap being of solid construction from thefirst sealing surface radially outward to the side wall; b. a secondannular sealing surface extending downwardly from said top wall inwardlyof said first sealing surface for engagement with the top surface of thebottle neck, said second sealing surface normally extending away fromthe side wall of the cap at an acute angle relative to the top wall withthe cap being of solid construction between second sealing surface andthe top wall; c. said first and second sealing surfaces being spacedfrom each other to seal against the cooperating surfaces of the bottleneck at spaced zones; and d. said cap being of sufficient flexibility toflex as the second sealing surface engages the top surface of the bottleneck to permit pivoting of said first and second sealing surfaces intoflush sealing contact with the top and outside surface of the bottleneck.
 2. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 1wherein: a. said first sealing surface extends toward said side wall atan angle of about 10* relative thereto.
 3. The improvement in the bottlecap as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said first sealing surface isdisposed radially inward of the thread on the side wall of the cap. 4.The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a.the thread on the side wall of the cap terminates at a point spaced fromsaid top wall and below said first sealing surface.
 5. The improvementin the bottle cap as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said first andsecond sealing surfaces are flat surfaces which intersect each otheradjacent the top wall of the cap.
 6. The improvement in the bottle capas set forth in claim 5 wherein: a. the angle of intersection of thefirst and second sealing surfaces is about 80*.
 7. In a bottle cap foruse with a bottle having a threaded neck opening into the bottle, saidcap being constructed of flexible material and having a top wall, acylindrical side wall depending from the top wall and a thread on theinner surface of the side wall for cooperating with the thread on theneck of the bottle, the improvement comprising: a a first flat annularsealing surface extending downwardly from said top wall and toward saidside wall at an acute angle relative thereto for engagement with theoutside wall surface of the bottle neck adjacent its opening into thebottle; b a second flat annular sealing surface extending downwardlyfrom said top wall inwardly of said first sealing surface for engagementwith the top surface of the bottle neck: 1 said second sealing surfacenormally extending away from the side wall of the cap at an acute anglerelative to said top wall, 2 said second sealing surface intersectingthe first sealing surface adjacent the top wall of the cap, and 3 saidsecond sealing surface providing a stop for engaging against the topsurface of the bottle to limit tightening of the cap on the bottle; cthe cap is of solid construction between the second sealing surface andthe top wall; and d said cap top wall is of sufficient flexibility toflex as the second sealing surface engages the top surface of the bottleneck to permit pivoting of said second sealing surface into flushsealing contact with the top surfaces of the bottle neck.
 8. Theimprovement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 7 wherein: a saidfirst and second sealing surfaces are spaced from each other to sealagainst the cooperating surfaces of the bottle neck at spaced zones. 9.The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 7 furtherincluding: a. a third annular sealing surface extending downwardly fromthe top wall radially inward of said second sealing surface and facingsaid side wall for engagement with the inner surface of the bottle neckat its opening into the bottle.
 10. The improvement in the bottle cap asset forth in claim 9 wherein: a. said third sealing surface is spacedfrom said second sealing surface to seal against the bottle neckindependently of said second sealing surface.
 11. The improvement in thebottle cap as set forth in claim 7 further including: a. an annularratchet ring removably secured at the bottom of the side wall of the capfor cooperating with aligned ratchet teeth on the bottle neck to preventturning of the cap in an unthreading direction prior to removal of saidring.
 12. In a bottle cap for use with a bottle having a threaded neckopening into the bottle, said cap being constructed of flexible materialand having a top wall, a cylindrical side wall depending from the topwall and a thread on the inner surface of the side wall for cooperatingwith the thread on the neck of the bottle, the improvement comprising:a. a first flat annular sealing surface disposed radially inward of thethread on the side wall of the cap and at a point spaced above saidthread and extending downwardly from said top wall and toward said sidewall at an acute angle relative thereto for engagement with the outsidewall surface of the bottle neck adjacent its opening into the bottle,said cap being of solid construction from the first sealing surfaceradially outward to the side wall; b. a second flat annular sealingsurface extending downwardly from said top wall inwardly of said firstsealing surface for engagement with the top surface of the bottle neck,said second sealing surface normally extending away from the side wallof the cap at an acute angle relative to the top wall and intersectingthe first sealing surface adjacent the top wall of the cap with the capbeing of solid construction between second sealing surface and the topwall; and c. said cap being of sufficient flexibility to flex as thesecond sealing surface engages the top surface of the bottle neck topermit pivoting of said first and second sealing surfaces into flushsealing contact with the top and outside surface of the bottle neck,said second sealing surface being spaced from the first sealing surfaceto seal against the bottle neck at a zone spaced from the zone at whichthe first sealing zone engages the outside wall surface of the bottleneck.
 13. The improvement in the bottle cap as set forth in claim 12further including: a. a third annular sealing surface extendingdownwardly from the top wall radially inward of said second sealingsurface and facing said side wall for engagement with the inner surfaceof the bottle neck at its opening into the bottle, said third sealingsurface being spaced from said second sealing surface to seal againstthe bottle neck independently of said second sealing surface; and b. anannular ratchet ring removably secured at the bottom of the side wall ofthe cap for cooperating with aligned ratchet teeth on the bottle neck toprevent turning of the cap in an unthreading direction prior to removalof said ring.